Just Tell Me I Can't (28 page)

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Authors: Jamie Moyer

BOOK: Just Tell Me I Can't
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In 2009, St. Joseph's University recognized the work of the Moyer Foundation and granted Karen and Jamie honorary degrees as Doctors of Public Service.

Celebrating on the field with (L to R) Katilina, sister Jill, Timoney, and Duffy.

With eight kids at home, Moyer, pictured here as a Seattle Mariner on Literacy Day in the late '90s, is a veteran when it comes to reading Dr. Seuss.

The Family Moyer, Summer 2013. L to R, front: Yenifer, Katilina, Grady, and McCabe. L to R, back: Timoney, Duffy, Dillon, Karen, Jamie, and Hutton.

At forty-nine, Moyer came back from Tommy John surgery to pitch for the Colorado Rockies early in the 2012 season. (Courtesy Colorado Rockies)

Thanking the fans after becoming the oldest pitcher to ever win a major league game. (Courtesy Colorado Rockies)

At Moyer's fiftieth birthday bash benefiting the Moyer Foundation, his former teammate Cliff Lee (left), pictured here with fellow Phillie Chase Utley, bid $20,000 for a collection of autographed Moyer game balls. (Courtesy the Moyer Foundation)

Moyer can still hear the voice of his late mentor Harvey Dorfman: “What are you going to do about it, kid?” (Courtesy Anita Dorfman)

Moyer's Easiest Outs
  • Scott Brosius
    : .146 (7 for 48), 16 K's. “For some reason, when Scott came to the plate, I was very comfortable. I felt like I could throw my changeup to him anytime I wanted and get a lot of weak pop-ups or rollover ground balls to third. I'd catch him in between a lot: he'd be covering away, and I'd throw in. He had a tough time staying back and waiting on the change.” 
  • Lance Berkman
    : .083 (1 for 12), 5 K's. “Lance was a switch hitter who had more power as a lefty than on the right side of the plate, where he'd bat against me. I'd rock him back and forth: in and away, in and away. Like Scott, he had a tough time not jumping out at the changeup. When guys complained that I threw too slow, that's what I liked to hear.” 
  • Cecil Fielder
    : .189 (7 for 37), 1 HR, 3 RBI, 10 K's. “He had a long swing with his arms extended. He'd chase the ball when it was off the plate. I'd throw him a lot of changeups away, and when my catcher and I thought we could get inside, I'd get in under his hands and tie him up for a swing and a miss. The key was to throw him pitches that looked like strikes but that weren't when they got to the plate.” 
  • Glenn Wilson
    : .120 (3 for 25), 6 K's. “Glenn was a good mistake hitter. You'd have to be careful coming inside to him. He'd hurt you if you got too much of the plate. I'd get him to roll over on the changeup a lot.” 
  • Kirby Puckett
    : .176 (3 for 17). “His strike zone was from his shoelaces to his chin. He was a free swinger—which I liked to see—with real power, and short arms. Throw him a short curveball at his shoe tops and he'll chase it. If I went inside against him, I'd have to get in deep. Anything middle-in, he'd make you pay.” 
Moyer's Toughest Outs
  • Wade Boggs
    : Hit .382 (21 for 55) versus Moyer with two home runs and eight RBI. “Wade had one of the best eyes at the plate I've ever seen,” Moyer says. “He knew the strike zone and was disciplined about it. He didn't care if the count was 0–2 or 2–2. He had a plan and he was going to execute.” 
  • Mark Kotsay
    : .583 (21 for 36) with an OPS of 1.451. “He covered both sides of the plate very well off me and didn't try to do too much, other than hit the ball where it was pitched. He had an uncanny knack to square the ball up. And on occasion, he'd lay down a bunt just to keep me honest.” 
  • Mike Schmidt
    : .444 (12 for 27), 2 HR, 9 RBI, .704 SLG. “He was in his prime and I was young and inexperienced when I faced him. He took advantage of that. I had to prove I was going to beat him on the inner half of the plate, and at that time I didn't have the confidence to do that. He wouldn't panic. He knew he was going to get a pitch to hit.” 
  • Bernie Williams
    : .389 (35 for 90), 8 HR, 21 RBI, 1.245 OPS. “As a young player in the minors, Bernie didn't really know how to hit. But he grew into a very good hitter with power. I faced him in a lot of really tight situations, often with runners on, and he always had a good at-bat. He'd sit on a pitch until you threw it to him.” 
  • Manny Ramirez
    : .352 (19 for 54), 10 HR, 21 RBI, .963 SLG, 1.389 OPS. “Another one of those guys who would just sit on a pitch—sometimes for a whole day. If he got it, he'd hit it hard. He was a great mistake hitter. Back in his Cleveland days, every borderline pitch seemed to be called in his favor. Frustrating.” 
Regular-Season Career Statistics
Year
Team
GP
GS
IP
W–L
HR
BB
SO
WHIP
ERA
1986
Cubs
16
16
87.1
7–4
10
42
45
1.71
5.05
1987
Cubs
35
35
201
12–15
28
97
147
1.53
5.10
1988
Cubs
34
30
202
9–15
20
55
121
1.32
3.48
1989
Tex
15
15
76
4–9
10
33
44
1.54
4.86
1990
Tex
33
10
102.1
2–6
6
39
58
1.50
4.66
1991
St L
8
7
31.1
0–5
5
16
20
1.72
5.74
1993
Bal
25
25
152
12–9
11
38
90
1.26
3.43
1994
Bal
23
23
149
5–7
23
38
87
1.32
4.77
1995
Bal
27
18
115.2
8–6
18
30
65
1.27
5.21
1996
Bos
23
10
90
7–1
14
27
50
1.53
4.50
1996
Sea
11
11
70.2
6–2
9
19
29
1.20
3.31
1996
TOT
34
21
160.2
13–3
23
46
79
1.39
3.98
1997
Sea
30
30
188.2
17–5
24
43
113
1.22
3.86
1998
Sea
34
34
234.1
15–9
23
42
158
1.18
3.53
1999
Sea
32
32
228
14–8
23
48
137
1.24
3.87
2000
Sea
26
26
154
13–10
22
53
98
1.47
5.49
2001
Sea
33
33
209.2
20–6
24
44
119
1.10
3.43
2002
Sea
34
34
230.2
13–8
28
50
147
1.08
3.32
2003
Sea
33
33
215
21–7
19
66
129
1.23
3.27
2004
Sea
34
33
202
7–13
44
63
125
1.39
5.21
2005
Sea
32
32
200
13–7
23
52
102
1.39
4.28
2006
Sea
25
25
160
6–12
25
44
82
1.39
4.39
2006
Phi
8
8
51.1
5–2
8
7
26
1.09
4.03
2006
TOT
33
33
211.1
11–14
33
51
108
1.32
4.30
2007
Phi
33
33
199.1
14–12
30
66
133
1.44
5.01
2008
Phi
33
33
196.1
16–7
20
62
123
1.33
3.71
2009
Phi
30
25
162
12–10
27
43
94
1.36
4.94
2010
Phi
19
19
111.2
9–9
20
20
63
1.10
4.84
2012
Col
10
10
53.2
2–5
11
18
36
1.73
5.70
TOT
 
696
638
4074
269–209
522
1155
2441
1.32
4.25
Playoff Career Statistics
Year
Team
GP
GS
IP
W–L
HR
BB
SO
WHIP
ERA
1997
Sea
1
1
4.2
0–1
1
1
2
1.29
5.79
2001
Sea
3
3
19
3–0
1
3
15
0.79
1.89
2007
Phi
1
1
6
0–0
0
2
2
1.17
1.50
2008
Phi
3
3
11.2
0–2
1
4
10
1.63
8.49
TOT
 
8
8
41.1
3–3
3
10
29
1.14
4.14
Minor League Statistics
Year
Team
GP
GS
IP
W–L
HR
BB
SO
WHIP
ERA
1984
Geneva (A–)
14
14
104.2
9–3
5
31
120
0.860
1.89
1985
Wnstn/Slm (A)
12
12
94
8–2
1
22
94
1.106
2.30
1985
Pttsfield (AA)
15
15
96.2
7–6
4
32
51
1.355
3.72
1985
TOT
27
27
190.2
15–8
5
54
145
1.233
3.02
1986
Pttsfield (AA)
6
6
41
3–1
2
16
42
1.049
0.88
1986
Iowa (AAA)
6
6
42.1
3–2
2
11
25
0.850
2.55
1986
TOT
12
12
83.1
6–3
4
27
67
0.948
1.73
1989
Rangers (RK)
3
3
11
1–0
0
1
18
0.818
1.64
1989
Tulsa (AA)
2
2
12.1
1–1
1
3
9
1.541
5.11
1989
TOT
5
5
23.1
2–1
1
4
27
1.200
3.47
1991
Lville (AAA)
20
20
125.2
5–10
16
43
69
1.337
3.80
1992
Toledo (AAA)
21
20
138.2
10–8
8
 37
80
1.190
2.86
1993
Roch (AAA)
8
8
54
6–0
2
13
41
1.019
1.67
1997
Tacoma (AAA)
1
1
5
1–0
0
0
6
0.200
0.00
2012
Norfolk (AAA)
3
3
16
1–1
1
0
16
0.688
1.69
2012
Vegas (AAA)
2
2
11
1–1
3
3
9
1.818
8.18
2012
TOT
5
5
27
2–2
4
3
25
1.148
4.33
TOT
 
113
112
752.1
56–35
45
212
580
1.132
2.76

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